Recent Searches

ADA sign

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) greatly impacts all elements of effective interior signage, including conspicuity, contrast, type of finish, and use of symbols, as well as tactile lettering, size of lettering, the use of Braille, and sign placement.

Typically ADA signs are located inside a building or facility. Typical signage uses include directional or wayfinding signage, directories, regulatory signs, and a wide variety of on-premise signs inside multi-tenant buildings.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) greatly impacts all elements of effective architectural signage, including conspicuity, contrast, type of finish, and use of symbols, as well as tactile lettering, size of lettering, the use of Braille, and sign placement.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

awning

A rooflike building mounted sign, often made of canvas or plastic, that provides additional functionality as shelter. Awnings are most often found over walkways, doorways or window areas.

Awnings are typically constructed of non-rigid materials, (often canvas), and attached to lightweight, rigid skeleton structures which project from and are supported by the exterior wall of a building. An awning may or may not be illuminated and/or decorated with graphics.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

banner

A frameless sign made of fabric, plastic or other lightweight, non-rigid material. Banners can be created for indoor or outdoor applications, and can be painted, screened, digitally printed or decorated with vinyl.

Banners can be fabricated in various weights, finishes, and textures and can be created in any shape, size, and orientation. Grommets, webbing, or polepocketing can be included to facilitate installation.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

cabinet sign

General term for a traditional "box" type sign made up of a face and back or two faces, with designs ranging from simple plastic faces to metal faces with push-thru letters. Often called lightboxes, cabinet signs can be internally illuminated, externally illuminated or non-illuminated, and are good for both interior and exterior applications.

A cabinet sign can allow for a look not typically achievable with channel letters, as the background of the sign can be the element that illuminates and the copy can be either translucent (lighted) or opaque (non-lighted). Cabinet signs can also be used when small letter size or graphical elements make the use of channel letters impossible.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

campaign / yard sign

General term for any temporary sign pertaining to signs typically found on lawns or yards. Campaign or yard signs are typically not constructed or intended for long-term use.

Most often made of corrugated plastic, these signs are an economical option to delivering your message or promotion. These signs are typically installed in the ground generally use stab or step stakes and frames, requiring no tools for their installation.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

carved sign

A sign created by the cutting away from a solid material such as stone or wood, where the lettering and / or design is cut down into the surface of the sign blank. Traditionally one-of-a-kind, handcarved pieces, many "carved" signs are now at least partially CNC routed or machine carved.

In addition to stone or wood, carved signs can be made from High Density Urethane, (HDU), a substitute that weathers better than natural wood. It's more difficult to do detailed painting on carved signs than it is on sandblasted signs since with carved signs the design areas are recessed, not raised.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

channel letter

A formed or fabricated three-dimensional, individually illuminated letter or graphic. Channel letters are comprised of U-shaped metal channels into which neon glass is installed.

Standard channel letters have a U-channel base with a colored Plexiglas face. Reverse channel letters have metal faces and sides, but a clear plastic backing. Mounted an inch or two away from the wall, at night these letters create a halo-lit effect. Open face channel letters have a clear plastic face which exposes the letter's raw neon.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

digital printing

A technique linking computers directly to high end inkjet, laser and other presses to print directly from an electronic copy of an image, thereby bypassing the need for film.

Typically used for on-demand or short-run color printing, the benefits of digital printing over traditional off-set litho printing include faster turnaround times, lowered production costs, and the ability to personalize documents.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

dimensional letter

A formed or fabricated three-dimensional letter. Dimensional letters can typically only be externally illuminated, and create a lower profile identification than internally illuminated or channel letters. Dimensional letters offer a wide variety of uses at an economical price.

Almost any material can be used to fabricate non-illuminated dimensional letters, particularly for indoor applications, while dimensional letters for outdoor use made from materials such as acrylic, wood, and aluminum can provide years of durability and service.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

electronic display

General term referring to any type of electronic programmable sign. Often called electronic message centers or electronic changeable copy signs, the content of electronic displays is changed or altered via electrically illuminated or mechanically driven changeable segments.

Electronic displays may project still images, scrolling images or moving images, including video and animation. Fixed message electronic displays have preprogrammed informational content, while computer controlled variable message electronic displays have content that can be changed or altered by computer driven electronic impulses.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

electronic message center

General term for any type of electronic programmable sign. Often called electronic displays or electronic changeable copy signs, the content of electronic message centers is changed or altered via electrically illuminated or mechanically driven changeable segments.

Find a sign company

freestanding sign

Any sign installed in or directly on the ground where the primary structural support is not a building but rather uprights, braces, columns, poles, or other vertical members.

Common examples of freestanding signs include pole signs, pylon signs, and monument signs.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

interior sign

A sign located inside a building or facility. Typical interior signage uses include directional or wayfinding signage, point of purchase signage, directories, regulatory signs, and a wide variety of on-premise signs inside multi-tenant buildings.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) greatly impacts all elements of effective interior signage, including conspicuity, contrast, type of finish, and use of symbols, as well as tactile lettering, size of lettering, the use of Braille, and sign placement.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

letter (non-illuminated)

A formed or fabricated three-dimensional letter. Non-illuminated letters create lower profile identification than illuminated or channel letters, but offer a wide variety of uses at an economical price.

Almost any material can be used to fabricate non-illuminated letters, particularly for indoor applications, while dimensional letters for outdoor use made from materials such as acrylic, wood, and aluminum can provide years of durability and service.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

lightbox sign

General term for a traditional cabinet or "box" type sign made up of a face and back or two faces, with designs ranging from simple plastic faces to metal faces with push-thru letters. Often called cabinet signs, lightboxes can be internally illuminated, externally illuminated or non-illuminated, and are good for both interior and exterior applications.

A lightbox sign can allow for a look not typically achievable with channel letters, as the background of the sign can be the element that illuminates and the copy can be either translucent (lighted) or opaque (non-lighted). Lightboxes can also be used when small letter size or graphical elements make the use of channel letters impossible.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

monument

A ground sign with low overall height. A monument is a detached, freestanding sign whose sign surface is attached to a proportionate solid base or structural frame.

Also called ground signs or low profile signs, monuments are typically have a solid base and are installed low-to-the-ground. They can be internally or externally illuminated.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

neon

A glass vacuum tube filled with neon gas and phosphors formed into signs, letters or shapes. Although red is the color neon gas naturally produces, different colors are obtained by mixing other gases, or by using florescent coatings.

Neon signs are illuminated by either a transformer or a switching power supply. The light-emitting tubes form colored lines with which text can be written or a picture drawn, and programming sequences of switching parts on and off can create dynamic light patterns.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

pole sign

A freestanding sign with a visible support structure. Often called pylons, pole signs may be internally or externally illuminated and offer excellent visibility from a distance.

A pole sign is a detached sign permanently installed in or on the ground, supported by uprights, braces, columns, poles, or other vertical members which are not attached to a building, and where the bottom edge of the sign face is generally located a minimum of several feet above the base of the sign.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

pylon

A freestanding sign with a visible support structure. Often called pole signs, pylons may be internally or externally illuminated and offer excellent visibility from a distance.

A pylon sign is a detached sign permanently installed in or on the ground, supported by uprights, braces, columns, poles, or other vertical members which are not attached to a building, and where the bottom edge of the sign face is generally located a minimum of several feet above the base of the sign.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

real estate sign

General term for any temporary sign pertaining to the sale, exchange, lease or rental of land or buildings. Real estate signs are typically not constructed or intended for long-term use.

Most often made of wood or corrugated plastic, real estate signs are an economical advertising option. Non-wood versions of real estate signs installed in the ground generally use stab or step stakes and frames, requiring no tools for their installation.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

routed sign

A sign created by the cutting away from a solid material such as stone or wood, where the lettering and / or design is cut down into the surface of the sign blank. Unlike hand carved pieces, routed signs generally refer to signs that are CNC routed or machine carved.

In addition to stone or wood, routed signs can be made from High Density Urethane, (HDU), a substitute that weathers better than natural wood. It's more difficult to do detailed painting on routed signs than it is on sandblasted signs since with routed signs the design areas are recessed, not raised.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

sandblasted (carved) sign

A sign created by placing a rubber stencil over letters and images and etching the background with a high-pressure mix of sand and air. The lettering and design areas are then sanded smooth and painted.

Both wood and High Density Urethane or HDU, (a substitute that weathers better than natural wood), can be sandblasted, with HDU sandblasted signs usually resembling a stucco or sandy texture. It's easier to do fine detailed painting on sandblasted signs than it is on routed or carved signs as with sandblasted signs the design areas are raised, not recessed.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

screen printing

Also referred to as silk screening, screen printing is the technique of applying an image to a printed surface by ink squeegeed through a stenciled screen stretched over a frame. The stenciled screen is treated with a light-sensitive emulsion, then film positives are put in contact with the screen and exposed to light. The light hardens the emulsion not covered by the film, leaving a soft area on the screen for the squeegee to force ink through in the form of the desired image. Each separate color requires its own screen.

Screen printing allows printing on virtually any substrate of any shape.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

screenprinting

Also referred to as silkscreening, screenprinting is the technique of applying an image to a printed surface by ink squeegeed through a stenciled screen stretched over a frame. The stenciled screen is treated with a light-sensitive emulsion, then film positives are put in contact with the screen and exposed to light. The light hardens the emulsion not covered by the film, leaving a soft area on the screen for the squeegee to force ink through in the form of the desired image. Each separate color requires its own screen.

Screenprinting allows printing on virtually any substrate of any shape.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

sign painting

Traditional sign painting may be required for surfaces on to which vinyl film cannot be adhered, such as concrete rendered and porous surfaces, canvas shop canopies, murals, and areas that must withstand harsh atmospheric conditions, but where the higher cost of an alternative is deemed prohibitive. Hand painted signs also have the advantage of being able to be repainted as necessary.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

silk screening

Also referred to as screen printing, silk screening is the technique of applying an image to a printed surface by ink squeegeed through a stenciled screen stretched over a frame. The stenciled screen is treated with a light-sensitive emulsion, then film positives are put in contact with the screen and exposed to light. The light hardens the emulsion not covered by the film, leaving a soft area on the screen for the squeegee to force ink through in the form of the desired image. Each separate color requires its own screen.

Silk screening allows printing on virtually any substrate of any shape.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

silkscreening

Also referred to as screenprinting, silkscreening is the technique of applying an image to a printed surface by ink squeegeed through a stenciled screen stretched over a frame. The stenciled screen is treated with a light-sensitive emulsion, then film positives are put in contact with the screen and exposed to light. The light hardens the emulsion not covered by the film, leaving a soft area on the screen for the squeegee to force ink through in the form of the desired image. Each separate color requires its own screen.

Silkscreening allows printing on virtually any substrate of any shape.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

site sign

General term for any temporary sign typically not constructed or intended for long-term use.

Most often made of wood or corrugated plastic, site signs are an economical advertising option. Non-wood versions of site signs installed in the ground generally use stab or step stakes and frames, requiring no tools for their installation.

Vinyl graphics are composed of a polyvinylchloride (PVC) film backed with an adhesive that creates a strong bond to a surface when pressure is applied. Available for a variety of short-term / long-term, indoor / outdoor applications, vinyl graphics can be applied to nearly any surface and are removable, leaving no residue.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

vehicle wrap

Wrap advertising refers to the marketing practice of completely or partially covering (wrapping) an object - most typically a vehicle or a building - in an advertisement, using large vinyl sheets as decals. These can be removed with relative ease, making it much less expensive to change from one advertisement to another.
Wraps that are made to cover windows, (side and rear only on vehicles), are typically perforated to allow occupents to still see through to the outside.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

yard sign

General term for any temporary sign typically not constructed or intended for long-term use.

Most often made of wood or corrugated plastic, yard signs are an economical advertising option. Non-wood versions of yard signs installed in the ground generally use stab or step stakes and frames, requiring no tools for their installation.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

sign service / repair

Sign type will determine repair company.

The type of sign you have will determine what type of repair service you'll need. If you have an electrical sign, your sign contractor should be trained and skilled in electrical sign service and repair. If a company can install the type of sign you have, they can probably also repair it.

Many sign companies are called "full service sign companies." They offer sign surveys, permitting, manufacturing, installation, service and repair. There are also sign companies that exclusively offer sign service and repair.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

sign survey / permitting

Every municipality has specific survey and permitting requirements.

A local sign company is your best option for navigating the often-complex requirements of the local government office. Many agencies require a permit application package with survey information, project timing estimates and inspection documents. Local sign companies should be licensed by the state for the district in which you are building or installing a sign.

Many sign companies are called "full service sign companies." They offer sign surveys, permitting, manufacturing, installation, service and repair. There are also sign companies that exclusively offer sign survey and permitting.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

sign manufacturing

National retail sign manufacturers also sell signage directly to the end user. National retail sign manufacturers generally use defined distribution channels, and sell signs that do not require a professional sign installer.

Wholesale sign manufacturers sell signage to local retail sign companies through defined channels. Signage may require the services of a professional sign installer (usually the local sign company ordering the sign).

National sign manufacturers, or "National Account Providers," are large retail companies that specialize in corporate architectural and brand identity signage. They provide both manufacturing and project management for sign and graphics solutions to large buyers at the national level.

Depending on the application, several other services may be required to complete a sign project. These services may include sign surveys, sign permitting, sign manufacturing, and sign installation. Signs commonly require service, repair, and maintenance as well.

Find a sign company

(e.g. Anchorage, AK or 99501 )

sign installation

Sign installers hang or place signs.

Which sign company to use to install your signs often depends on the type of sign that is to be installed. Special equipment may be required to install your sign, such as a crane, bucket, or other aerial truck.

Many sign companies are called "full service sign companies", that is, they offer sign surveys, permitting, manufacturing, installation, service and repair. There are also sign companies that exclusively offer sign installation. Most of these install companies also offer sign surveys, permitting, and, as a follow up, sign service and repair.

Sign installers should be licensed according to their local or state jurisdictions, and typically offer a warranty on the work they have performed.

You should also have your project surveyed by a professional sign installer. Make sure to check with your local ordinances and get all the necessary sign permits before you start the work.